Plastic Pollution Coalition, a project of Earth Island Institute, filed a complaint in the District of Columbia Superior Court on May 23, 2025, against Keurig Dr. Pepper Inc. and Core Nutrition LLC (collectively “Core”), makers of Core Hydration bottled water, for alleged “false and deceptive marketing” in violation of the District of Columbia’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act (CPPA). Core promotes Core Hydration products as sustainable and free of bisphenol-A (BPA) despite test results revealing that Core Hydration products do in fact contain health-harming plastic chemical BPA. Further, Core’s public-facing website tells consumers that they are “…constantly looking for ways to be sustainable while offering the choices that can have a positive impact on you,” despite the company’s significant contribution to plastic pollution.
An independent laboratory evaluation revealed bisphenol-A (BPA) in Core Hydration’s “BPA Free” bottled water products. BPA and other bisphenols, which are added to plastics to increase their rigidity, are known to disrupt the human endocrine (hormone) systems, and have been identified as among the most concerning of the more than 16,000 chemicals that are added to plastics.
These findings run contrary to Core’s advertising claims, including the following, which appear on its consumer-facing website and packaging:
Example 1 of 2:
Example 2 of 2:
In addition to touting the “BPA Free” qualities of its water on its consumer-facing website and packaging for Core Hydration, Core represents itself as a company committed to sustainability through language that can be found on their website such as, “Since 2021, Core’s transition to recycled plastic bottles was a critical step in our commitment to a circular economy.” But the Complaint alleges that the companies’ production of plastic bottled water—like all plastic production—inherently produces plastic pollution (waste), which is not circular.
As alleged in Plastic Pollution Coalition’s complaint, Core perpetuates misleading industry narratives around plastic recycling, telling consumers that “rPET [recycled PET plastic] saves large amounts of energy and greenhouse gas emissions when compared to virgin or vPET.” Other messaging on Core’s products’ packaging and website contains the claim “recyclable.” As the Complaint alleges, plastic is not designed to be recycled, and most plastic items, including plastic bottles that are collected for recycling, are never actually recycled. Instead, plastics collected for recycling are most often sent to landfills or incinerators, or are shipped overseas, perpetuating plastic production and its resultant plastic pollution, and environmental injustices.
Claims around the sustainability and healthfulness of bottled water continue to be debunked as nothing more than marketing lies. These false statements have for far too long confused consumers. The truth is that plastic bottled water, like all plastic products, is a danger to human and environmental health that cannot be recycled away.
— Julia Cohen, Co-founder and Managing Director of Plastic Pollution Coalition
Plastic Pollution Coalition does not seek monetary damages; instead, it seeks an order declaring that the representations of Core Hydration Water bottled water products made by Keurig Dr. Pepper Inc. and Core Nutrition LLC are unlawful under the CPPA, as well as an injunction that will end the deceptive advertising and marketing at issue.
Plastic pollution is an urgent global crisis threatening human, environmental, and climate health on a massive scale, from the plastic-producing petrochemical plants that disproportionately harm low-income, rural, and people of color communities; to the plastic pollution that is often dumped in Global South; to the toxic microplastics invading our bodies, which have been shown to contribute to cancer, neurotoxicity, reproductive issues, endocrine disruption, and genetic problems; and more. To solve this problem, our planet needs less plastic—not more.
